Project Highlights:
- Designed a 10-15L alpine climbing pack balancing vest-like mobility with load stability
- Used CLO3D for digital patterning and prototyping
- Focused on minimalist design, material efficiency, and movement-focused ergonomics
This project started in the summer of 2022, around the same time I was getting into climbing and wanted to bring my engineering mindset into the gear I was using. I did a lot of research on existing climbing and alpine packs, the materials they used, and the features that seemed useful. With limited experience at the time, I set out to design the ultimate, do-it-all climbing pack. I’d later come to appreciate the importance of simplicity.
Fast forward to early 2025, with a few more years of climbing and design experience behind me, I picked the project back up, this time with a different goal. I wanted to build a pack that felt invisible while leading hard climbs. Most options on the market either fit like a running vest but couldn’t carry a proper load, or they carried well but restricted movement. I set out to design something in between: a minimalist pack that merged the comfort and fit of a running vest with the load-carrying stability of a small alpine pack. Instead of asking what features I could add, I focused on what I could strip away.
I began with benchmarking across trail, climbing, and alpine packs to understand existing design choices and trade-offs. I sketched early concepts and asked friends and fellow climbers for their thoughts. I then moved into digital patterning using CLO3D, which allowed me to refine geometry, seam placement, and material layering before moving to the sewing machine.
Key features include zippered vest-style rib pockets for quick-access items, semi-rigid shoulder straps that balance abrasion resistance with a movement-friendly fit, and a main compartment sized to hold large approach shoes or lightweight boots heel-down. Additional details include a zippered external pocket for belay or wind layers, a wide curved lid with integrated stash pocket, and a reinforced internal compact ice axe carry system designed for snag-free hauling during alpine rock routes with glaciated approaches where quick transitions aren't a priority. These features were born out of my own personal frustrations with current packs, and aim to improve performance on specific mountain objectives.
This project has been a hands-on way to grow my skills in soft goods CAD, sewing, pattern making, user-centered design, and design for manufacturing. It’s a blend of two big passions, climbing and engineering, and has already taught me a lot. I’m currently finalizing the pattern and expect to complete my first full prototype by mid-August 2025.
